From the heart of – Gail Kerstetter, Director of the University Singers

Careful planning, packing for various weather situations, casual attire, concert attire, passports, ID’s, sound equipment – all part of our morning.  We loaded it all up and left around 10:00am for the Atlanta airport.  We had to allow 4 hours for the drive since the bridge in Atlanta was still under construction.  We arrived safely earlier than expected and got everything checked in – even the sound equipment!  Then off through the airport security!  There were 4 members of our team who had never flown before and so everything in the airport was new to them.  But some of our students are seasoned travelers and were very helpful to those who were navigating all this for the first time.

Traveling with us are Rebecca Wood from High Point, NC, world traveler and my friend of 30+ years, Karl and Sharon Westfall, logistics director for OFC and Lt. Col John Peters, Florida friend of the University Singers and military liaison. These fine people are giving of their personal time and energy to ensure a smoothly executed mission.

After we all made it through security, we ran into these friends who had connecting flights to ATL.  Soon we all boarded our Delta non-stop flight headed to Rome, Italy!  Our flight was about 8 hours which included several meals, snacks, movies and if I can be honest – some inside team entertainment watching some of our new travelers take off for the very first time!

Our job on the plane despite all the fun distractions was to sleep and be ready to start a new day when the plane landed.  Some of us actually accomplished that goal… others, not so much!  But the plane ride was uneventful, and for that we are grateful!

And there was morning and there was evening the first day.